These Charter Yachts Let You Tag Hammerhead Sharks and Count Spirit Bears for Research
Imagine discovering a new whale species or saving a group of parakeets from extinction as part of a yacht charter. Citizen-scientist initiatives have become more prevalent in the charter world in the last few years, ranging from part-time endeavors like counting sea turtles to giving scientists on-board space to conduct serious research in remote locations.
“There is unquestionably more interest in the science and conservation story,” Ben Lyons of EYOS Expeditions tells Robb Report. Lyons cites one client who chartered the explorer yacht Legend to Antarctica and invited scientists from Conservation International to hold onboard seminars. On the same trip, he also sponsored photographer Paul Nicklen to produce a public-awareness campaign for the creation of Marine Protected Areas and invited a Rolex Our World-Underwater scholar to spend three weeks studying penguins.
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Other clients, notes Lyons, are happy to swap a charter aboard a superyacht for time on a dedicated research vessel.
During a recent voyage aboard the Pacific Yellowfin to the Great Bear Rainforest off the coast of British Columbia, a Cookson Adventures charter tracked spirit bears, made acoustic recordings of whales communing in the sea, and learned about the commercial fishing that threatens the natural environment. “To have input from a 20-year expert who can give scientific context to what guests are seeing has a lasting effect,” managing director Nick Davies tells Robb Report.
According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, 14 percent of young U.S. adults have taken part in a citizen-science project over the past year. But one of the biggest hurdles for charter is identifying important science projects that are also fun for guests to do, especially for those who have limited time.
Tagging manta rays and whale sharks in Indonesia offers immediate gratification. Studying water samples via microscopes, not so much. “We’ve found merging a luxury yacht experience with initiatives that educate guests about the environment they are exploring has the greatest impact,” says Steve Ebsworth, cofounder of Rascal Voyages. Its Exploration charter itineraries host leaders in their respective fields. The first of Rascal’s Conservation Voyages will partner with the Indonesian-based nonprofit SEA People in early 2025 to help restore coral reefs in Raja Ampat.
Surrendering coveted cabin space to scientists has even led some to charter a second support vessel alongside the mothership. Cookson’s five-week trip to Greenland this summer will include a chartered support vessel with a helicopter. “Having a heli means the guests can dine on top of mountains, reach the ice caps, and engage in studies on glaciology and polar bears,” says Davies. Activities will include fitting satellite collars on the bears and aerial surveys to better understand how that population has adapted to climate change.
In the tightly restricted Galapagos, Cookson worked with the national park and Darwin Research Center to relocate 500 tortoise hatchlings by helicopter as part of one client’s itinerary. Another charter included an excursion to Wolf Volcano where access is notoriously difficult. The use of the guests’ helicopter allowed scientists to build a research center on the rim of the caldera to monitor the pink iguana.
The quid pro quo arrangement works for submersibles, too. In July 2023, a family, which owns a submersible but not a yacht, chartered a support vessel to transport their sub to partake in conservation activities around Costa Rica. A scientific permit is required to operate a submersible in Cocos Island, but by teaming up with Misión Tiburón, a non-profit organization founded by marine biologists, Origen Escapes ensured the family enjoyed multiple underwater dives in exchange for donating the use of their sub to scientists. “The biologists joined the guests on board and were able to collect a lot of data on water temperature and shark behavior,” managing director Gemma Cope tells Robb Report.
Since opening its waters to foreign charter yachts in 2021, Costa Rica has fast become a superyacht hub. Motoryachts Baca and Lady B are recent visitors, while Christina O has a charter booked for the end of the year to pair diving with conservation. “It’s a specific type of client that wants to charter in Costa Rica,” says Cope. “Often families want skill development for their kids, so we link cool experiences to scientific projects that have a positive, sustainable and conservation focus.”
The Golfo Dulce in Costa Rica is one of the main breeding grounds for hammerhead sharks. From June to September, tagging juveniles has become a highlight for charter guests. “Kids love it as they follow them online for up to two years before the sharks leave for open water,” says Cope.
In some cases, conservation projects can only happen with the assistance of yacht charters. “Without human intervention, the Vini Lorikeet [parakeet species] in French Polynesia will go extinct, so if a yacht charter can help to plug the $800,000 funding deficit it’s a win-win,” Duncan Over, founder of Joro, tells Robb Report. Its partnership with Burgess Yachts combines Joro’s specialist land-based excursions with yacht charters.
Adding conservation to a charter does increase the costs. Donations to Origen Escapes, for instance, can run from $2,000 to $10,000 per experience. The company sees more activity from charterers than superyacht owners.
One client has visited Costa Rica by yacht seven times. Another family charter took in three conservation projects within a seven-day itinerary, including reforestation projects, turtle conservation along the Osa Peninsula, and climbing 130 feet into the treetop canopy to set cameras to measure the behavior of spider monkeys.
As exciting as these activities are for guests, the biggest impact on conservation comes from funding. Joro’s charter to Papua New Guinea resulted in scholarships and funding education for the local children. Others pledged $50,000 following a morning spent coral planting in French Polynesia. “What one client will donate to conservation in a single charter is the equivalent to what the large commercial expedition cruise companies raise in a single year,” notes Lyons.
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